The roundtable explored how India\u2019s presidency could move BRICS beyond broad declarations and toward more practical cooperation in geopolitics and geoeconomics. Participants discussed the implications of a fragmented world marked by sanctions, export controls, rising protectionism, weakened multilateral norms, and growing uncertainty in global trade and investment. The central question was how BRICS could evolve from a forum of shared aspirations into a platform capable of producing visible and credible outcomes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A major theme of the conversation was the changing character of BRICS in an expanded and more diverse setting. As the grouping grows in membership and strategic reach, questions of cohesion, identity, and direction have become increasingly pressing. The deliberations highlighted the need for BRICS to preserve political flexibility while developing the institutional discipline required to manage a broader and more complex membership base. Participants noted that expansion could strengthen the bloc\u2019s global leverage, but only if accompanied by a clearer sense of purpose and stronger coordination among members.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another important focus was the relationship between BRICS and the Global South. The roundtable considered whether the expanded grouping could continue to credibly present itself as a representative voice of developing countries without diluting its original identity. The discussion underscored the importance of ensuring that BRICS remains responsive to the priorities of its members \u2014 including development, strategic autonomy, and reform of global governance \u2014 while also demonstrating relevance to a wider international audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n India\u2019s role during its presidency emerged as a central point of reflection. Participants assessed how New Delhi could steer BRICS toward practical outcomes without allowing the grouping to become an unwieldy coalition shaped by competing national agendas. The conversation emphasised India\u2019s ability to serve as a bridge between differing perspectives and to channel the group\u2019s momentum into focused initiatives on trade, investment, supply-chain resilience, digital interoperability, and institutional reform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The roundtable also examined the economic dimension of BRICS cooperation. With intra-BRICS trade and economic engagement rising steadily, participants discussed how this growth could be translated into deeper and more structured integration. Areas highlighted for attention included trade facilitation, standards cooperation, digital governance, sector-specific partnerships, and measures aimed at reducing regulatory frictions. The discussion pointed to the need for a more action-oriented \u201cTrade+\u201d agenda that integrates trade policy, industrial policy, supply-chain resilience, and regulatory cooperation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In an increasingly volatile global trading environment, participants stressed the need for practical mechanisms capable of enhancing connectivity and reducing barriers among BRICS+ economies. This included greater coordination on payment systems, local currency trade, infrastructure connectivity, logistics corridors, and investment support. The roundtable noted that BRICS has the potential to contribute meaningfully to the stabilisation of global trade by focusing on cooperation that is tangible, scalable, and responsive to current disruptions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The discussion further reflected on BRICS as more than merely an economic arrangement. Participants emphasised its broader relevance as a consultative platform for multipolarity, strategic autonomy, and reform of global institutions. The exchange highlighted the importance of trust-building, people-to-people engagement, and socio-cultural cooperation alongside economic initiatives. In this view, BRICS could strengthen its credibility not only through formal policy coordination but also through fostering a deeper sense of shared purpose among its members.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The roundtable concluded with broad agreement that BRICS+, under India\u2019s presidency, has an important opportunity to demonstrate that multilateral cooperation can remain relevant in a fragmented world. While expectations should remain realistic, the grouping can still make a meaningful contribution by advancing practical cooperation, encouraging institutional reform, and helping shape a more balanced global order. For India, the presidency offers a timely platform to reinforce its diplomatic standing while advancing a vision of BRICS that is more coherent, responsive, and consequential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" India\u2019s role during its presidency emerged as a central point of reflection. Participants assessed how New Delhi could steer BRICS toward practical outcomes without allowing the grouping to become an unwieldy coalition shaped by competing national agendas<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2743,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[501,325],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2738","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-brics","category-press-release"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"CRF](\"https:\/\/ml332vxvlmxb.i.optimole.com\/w:1024\/h:576\/q:mauto\/ig:avif\/https:\/\/debcubspark.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Untitled-22-May-2026-at-10.46.36.png\")